Motor vehicle seating assemblies, particularly those used in the second and third row seating positions, or any seating row proximate a rear storage area, and disposed forward of a rear cargo area floor, often employ a seatback assembly that pivots forward about a fixed pivot from an upright design position to a forward folded stowed position, such that a rearward exposed surface of the seatback assembly and the rear cargo area floor form an extended cargo area. However, such seating assemblies often create a gap between the rear edge of the folded seatback assembly and the car-forward edge of the rear cargo area floor when in the forward folded stowed position, which precludes a continuous and uninterrupted surface for the extended cargo area. These gaps can exist between multiple rows of seats or between seats and rear cargo areas. Prior attempts to bridge such gaps with separate and additional folding trim pieces added additional cost and labor during assembly, as well as additional weight to the motor vehicle.
In addition, foldable seatbacks that rotate forward about a single pivot also require adequate clearance in the car-forward direction to prevent interference with the seating assembly located forward of the forward folding seatback assembly during the forward-folding procedure, which often requires the need for a folding head restraint assembly on the forward folding seatback assembly, further adding cost and weight.
A foldable seatback assembly that eliminates such gaps when folded and reduces the clearance required with the seating assembly located forward of the forward folding seatback assembly during the forward-folding procedure is desired.